Spice caught up with Zadro Agency Account Director Debbie Bradley to find out why you need a communications plan for your event right from the get go.
1. It clarifies your event’s goals and objectives
Think of your communications plan as your roadmap; you know where you want to go, but you need a clear pathway to get there. There may be too many ideas floating around or you’re not sure what’s trending this year on the communications front to maximise your reach. That’s why it’s best to gather all the stakeholders and people involved, and nut out what you want to achieve and work backwards from there.
2. Assesses your processes and identifies future possibilities
Looking back on your past event/s can certainly help you move forward. What’s worked before, what hasn’t, and how can the processes used be improved or streamlined? What are your event’s opportunities or threats? Strategising from the start can help you pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses.
3. Refines the relationship between your audiences, messages, channels, activities and materials
Going through the communications planning process will help you identify who exactly you want and need to reach, what to tell them and what vehicle or method to use. You will find that each of your audiences has unique characteristics, needs, and motivations. Through planning, you will discover the most effective ways to communicate with them.
4. Develops a consensus for the event
There are many people involved in putting together an event and a communications plan is also vital for internal comms. Who is doing what and when? “It will also help you develop a strong unified plan for the whole team to work off. A well-articulated plan will help people get on the same page and articulate a consistent message.
5. Creates a forum for discussion
A communications plan ensures you address some tricky but very important questions so you can learn from past mistakes and get under the skin of what you really need to do to create an amazing event. As Albert Einstein once said, ‘Lunacy is to keep doing what you’ve been doing and expecting different results’.
And while event planning may be your forte, it’s a good idea to get professional communicators to facilitate or complete your communications strategy. It’s always advantageous to get an objective opinion and guidance.
